Tupac Shakur: Picture Me Rollin' (1996)

Is there a more sad song in the retrospect than this, after Tupac (assailants "unknown") was gunned down?

The great poet of rap gets into a beautiful low, confidently cruising but melancholy groove while giving himself some big-ups because, after all, those punk police have passed on and now we need to picture him at the top of his game . . . 

Yeah. Rolling . . .  

Huh. Yeah.

All the hood friends are there ("I'm cool as a muthafugga") and the ladies are there with their sad sista refrain. The boasters are there importing keys . . .

Yeah? All good. All on top . . .

On top. Rolling.

Oh yeah. Cool as a muthafugger, I'mma get mine.

And the coloured girls say . . . .

Picture me rolling . . .  

"You all ready for me", says Tupac  . . . and then runs down the list . . . can ya'all see me from them cellblocks/you the DA/you punk police . . .?

Boasting beautifully about being outside, about beating then all . . . . 

"Are you all ready for me ..............."

"Can you see me? Am I clear to ya? Free like OJ all day . . ."

Yeah.

Then . . . . . 

What we know. Shot.

"Anytime you wanna see me again, on this track right here," he says at the end.

"Close your eyes, picture me rolling . . . ."

Sad.

Dead within weeks of recording this. 

Clear enough for ya? 

For more on-offs or songs with an interesting back-story see From the Vaults.